Daily Innovation News

September 16^th 2024

💻 Technology

🇰🇷 South Korean researchers develop highly efficient, transparent solar cells to charge batteries from car windows and mobile screens

Scientists in South Korea have created transparent solar cells that can generate energy from car windows, building glass, and mobile screens, directly charging devices like smartphones. These high-efficiency solar cells maintain their transparency and aesthetics using an all-back-contact design, making them suitable for various applications without compromising appearance. This breakthrough could revolutionize energy harvesting in everyday devices and structures. The research was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

🇧🇷 🇬🇧 Brazilian and UK scientists develop nanomaterial to detect fingerprints directly at crime scenes

Researchers from Brazil and the UK have created a fluorescent nanoparticle that enhances the visibility of latent fingerprints, eliminating the need for laboratory analysis. This new nanomaterial, composed of MCM-41, chitosan, and dansylglycine, adheres to fingerprint residues on various surfaces, producing high-quality images that meet forensic standards. Its ability to capture fine details makes it a breakthrough tool for crime scene investigations. The study was published in RSC Advances.

⚡️ Energy

🇯🇵 Japanese scientists convert captured CO2 into green fuel using an innovative electrochemical cell

Researchers in Japan have developed a new electrochemical cell that efficiently converts captured carbon, in the form of bicarbonate, into formate—a potent green fuel. This breakthrough simplifies the carbon capture process by eliminating the need for pure CO2, offering a more energy-efficient method to create renewable fuel. Achieving 85% faradaic efficiency, this innovation could play a critical role in carbon-neutral technologies. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

🚀 Space

🇺🇸 US airline partners with SpaceX to offer free in-flight Starlink Wi-Fi across 1,000 planes

In a first, United Airlines has teamed up with SpaceX to provide free high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi on over 1,000 aircraft in the coming years. The service will allow passengers to enjoy seamless internet access for live streaming, gaming, and more on personal devices and seatback screens during flights. Testing begins in 2025, making United the largest airline to offer Starlink’s global coverage.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

🇺🇸 US researchers develop an AI method to fix distorted fingers and faces in generated images

American computer scientists have created ElasticDiffusion, a new technique to improve AI-generated images, solving common issues like distorted faces and extra fingers. Current AI models struggle with non-square images, leading to visual errors, but ElasticDiffusion separates global and local image details to create cleaner results. Though slower than other models, this method offers major improvements for applications like digital art and video production. The research was presented at the IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition.

🌎 Environment

🇬🇧 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 British, US, and French scientists revive ocean iron fertilization to capture billions of tons of CO2

A scientific team from the UK, US, and France is reviving the controversial ocean iron fertilization (OIF) technique to capture CO2 by stimulating phytoplankton growth. By adding iron to ocean regions low in this nutrient, phytoplankton absorb carbon, which then sinks to the ocean floor when they die. Although OIF has faced criticism for potential ecological harm, researchers aim to carefully monitor these effects and remove 45 billion metric tons of carbon by 2100.

💉 Biotechnology

🇪🇸 Spanish scientists engineer lettuce with 30 times more vitamins for enhanced nutrition

Spanish researchers have genetically modified "Golden Lettuce," boosting its beta-carotene levels, which the body converts to vitamin A. This nutrient-rich lettuce contains 30 times more beta-carotene than regular varieties, promoting better vision, immune health, and protection against diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. Not only is the antioxidant more concentrated, but it's also more easily absorbed by the body, making this innovation a significant step toward improving everyday nutrition. The findings were published in The Plant Journal.

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